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Jan. 6, 1916
RANDOLPH - For 1916 the Burlington railway has inaugurated a telegraphic weather report system by which approaching storms, cold waves, etc., may be communicated to the public, and especially the farmers, along their lines of road.
The new system was put into effect at Randolph by Agent A. J. Lussier Tuesday when he received a telegraphic notice of the approaching cold wave of Wednesday.
The news was given to the telephone central office and communicated along the country lines. The service is timed to be about 24 hours ahead of coming storms. The arrangement is expected to greatly benefit to the public.
Jan. 6, 1916
RANDOLPH - Early Wednesday the farm home on the Dan Riessen horse place about a mile and a half southeast of McLean was burned to the ground.
The farm is occupied by H. S. Tague and family and they did not discover the fire until after it had gained considerable headway. It was with difficulty l the family made their way out of the burning and fast crumbling house.
They were compelled to flee clad only in garments hastily caught up, and in the bitter cold of that morning they underwent considerable suffering.
Mrs. Tague especially suffered severely and had her bare feet badly frosted, we understand, before she could got to a neighboring house.
The cause of the fire is a mystery so far as we have been able to learn. It started, apparently, in a room in which there was no stove.
Neighbors who saw the fire hastened to the rescue and other buildings were saved, but the household goods and the house itself were destroyed.
Jan. 6, 1921
RANDOLPH — The body of Pvt. Herbert G. Hoeppner, of Osmond, who was killed in action in France, arrived in Randolph on New Year’s Day.
The box was covered with a fine large American flag and the body was in charge of Pvt. Einar Nelson, a soldier at Ft. Crook. A delegation of the Dee Wilson Post, American Legion, was on hand to give any assistance and they acted as bearers and escort to convey the casket to the Brenner & Nelson undertaking parlors.
The box in which the casket was placed was of 1¼ inch lumber and well made. The casket itself was of solid oak, and across it was a metal strip on which was stamped the name of the soldier, his army unit and identification number.
Inside and pinned to the clothing was the identification tag, the number corresponding to the duplicate in possession of the family. Everything about the care of the remains and the shipping was first class.
Pvt. Herbert G. Hoeppner, son of Mr. and Mrs. Theo. Hoeppner, was born at Berlin, Tama County, Iowa, March 17, 1894, and died in action on the battle fields of France Sept. 2, 1918, at the age of 24 years.
He came with his parents to Nebraska in 1901, settling on the old home place 1½ miles southwest of McLean where the family has lived for 20 years. Here he grew to young manhood and when his father retired from farm life and moved to Osmond, Herbert went there also. He was drawn in the first draft and left for Camp Funston Sept. 23, 1917, and after a short time was sent to Camp Cody to the “Sandstorm” or 34th division, as a member of Co. I, 134th infantry.
He was chosen as a replacement and sailed on June 16, 1918, for France, where he was placed in Co. M, 127th infantry, which was, we believe, in the famous 31st division of fighting men.
On Oct. 5, 1918, word was received he was killed in action Sept. 2. On Oct. 6, memorial services were held at Osmond under direction of the Home Guards. Ferdinand Dierks of this city was in the same regiment as the deceased and says Pvt. Hoeppner was shot by the enemy in a woods. He was buried in the American cemetery at Juigny, Aisne, France. The body arrived at Hoboken on Dec. 14.
There is now left to mourn his mother, Mrs. Theo. Hoeppner and one brother and five sisters as follows: Louis Hoeppner, Mrs. Alma Ward, Mrs. Carl Schubert and Mrs. Lillie Schulz of McLean, Mrs. Adele Grau and Edna Hoeppner of Osmond. His father died in October, 1918.
